Come On Salford Let's Vote Bez!

As an antidote to a weekend of Match of the Day and the shirts..

http://youtu.be/LctPleLOgqk?list=PLQ2ZVW2TA2rgFAwmFcQ84Rxi0y_OpJ01I

What England can look like in the summer. I remember showing this photo to a mate and telling him that it's where my folks had moved to. He looked at the picture for a couple of minutes and said "What are they fucking hobbits?"

Meeting Nice People.

One of the nice things about photography is the nice people you get to meet. Like Ian & kids enjoying PAMONA when I was making pictures there the other day.

Back.

Well that's Crimbo done, boxed off, my baubles are back in a bag under the stairs. Nothing left of festiveness cept half a box of snickers celebrations and half a bottle of Lidl mulled wine (which tasted of arse) And so now after my NOEL hibernation and too much telly, thoughts turn back to photography and this blog.

If I've learnt anything over the last couple of weeks it's that I actually am not as addicted to blogging as I thought and in fact I've been in two minds about whether to knock it on the head. I have always done it because I have enjoyed it but I'm not going to let it become a burden.

I've also got several projects that should be coming to completion spring/early summer that will need publishing and trying to find homes for.

First up SEMI'S which has already had a bit of a run out last year and I'm hoping to get finished off Late February as it's due to go to Rotterdam as part of a group show and then maybe on to New York later in the year. A Typology, that maybe my last for a while, I think I've got them out of my system for a bit at least. This work has been realised as small prints like in an estate agents window but I do see the final outcome as a book.

POMONA is also due to come to an end in May. At least that's when the year of documenting this post industrial area just outside the city centre is up. Landscapes, weird macro pictures and several plastic bags full of flower pressings (I'm sure enough of my manliness to carry my flower press with pride through the mean streets of Salford) will no doubt end up on my kitchen floor with me stood over it scratching my head wondering what it all means and what to do with it.

And third up RED ARMY PILGRIMS should be finished by the end of the 09/10 season. 100 compact camera, snatched portraits shot at OLD TRAFFORD to mark the centenary and printed at Boots for that authentic snap shot feel. Who are we?

All images copyright Mark Page.

Hello Nice And To Meet You......

I am doing a talk at Urbis tonight as part of the course that's been run there over the last few weeks THE PHOTOGRAPH AS CONTEMPORARY ART. so a big hello to those people who have to put up with me droning on. Please feel free to tell me to shut the f##k up if I a boring you....

Look of Oppressed: About the Same, Except a Lot Less Blurrier

"Photographers such as Ed Burtynsky have been dashing about in record numbers chronicling and documenting the incredible industrial and manufacturing transformation that is the current day wonder called China. And while some such as Lu Guang have concentrated magnificently on the horrendously destructive environmental effects, few if any have looked beyond the mainland to notice the impact this emerging powerhouse has had on other developing nations".........

Continue reading this article by Stan Banos.

Normal Service.

It's been a tad gloomy around here for the last few posts I know. It must be my "Artist" radar picking up on all the dogshit that's going down here in Blighty. Home was on NEWSNIGHT and other news programs tonight with some locals who I'm not being funny but if they've ever worked a fucking day in their sorry benefit claiming lives, moaning about Johnnie foreigner nicking their jobs "well there's no jobs fer us innit" they so eloquently replied, so that's wound me up. I thought Salfordians had more about them than voting BNP, but heyho. I'm obviously going to have to nobble Nick Griffin myself. Only kidding Special Branch, I'll get him to dress as a Brazilian plumber and you can do it for me. Just kidding, having a laugh, well you got to laugh ain't ya........... tomorrow lets chat photography, coz that seems important at the moment........

That Was The Week That Was.

Image Paul Graham

This post is by way of a "catch up" placing in one post things I was going to post about this week but due to time or lack of it, and my selfishness at only posting some of my own photographs for most of the week I've not got round too.

First up I guess the biggest event in the photographic world this week has been the announcement of the winner of this years DEUTSCHE BORSE photography prize. Winner Paul Graham. (b. 1956) I should of had a flutter on that one. The also rans were Emily Jacir (b. 1970) Tod Papageorge (b.1940) and Taryn Simon (b. 1975) who would have been a joint favorite with Graham should I have been a photie bookie, but of course no such job exists. Out of interest you will have noticed that I have added the photographers birth date, as in the photography world this seems of some importance, perhaps similar to saying such & such has had a baby boy he was 7lbs 8oz. My choice for winner would have been Tod Papageorge. Passing Through Eden is a masterpiece, but then I'm not scared to admit I like Black n White photography.

The second biggest event in the photographic world this week as got to be the CAPTURE MANCHESTER competition. Organised in part by the North West Photography Network REDEYE and held at THE CUBE Gallery.

Redeye's Director Paul Herrmann, who was one of the judges, said: “I’m amazed at the explosion of talent this competition has unleashed. Of course it's impossible to capture the city in one image, but so many of the entrants have really thought hard and given us something surprising, funny, personal or just different. Doesn't that inventiveness and creativity make Manchester the place it is?" (Quote from The Cube Gallery website) Yes you are right Paul, so why did this lot win? I understand a 14 year old winning, bless his cottons but a London underground map with the station names removed and Manchester suburbs added, fuck me Paul! Sour Grapes of course. I have feeling's, cut me, do I not bleed?

The other piece of sad news of course this week, is the death of the Pikey Princess.

And talking of dying with dignity. Out of all the major religions in this country it seems to me that on the whole the Hindu's seem to be one of the least demanding. So would it be too much to allow them to have some space so as to have open cremations? Now I'm not suggesting that we have them on Deansgate and I'm sure that's not what they want, but I'm sure we could organise some space somewhere for them. Jeez after the Jade Goodie fiasco if there's one thing this country needs it's a lesson on how to die with dignity..............